Fargesia nitida 'Gansu' – Clump-Forming Bamboo
An elegant, well-behaved bamboo for British gardens
If you've always loved the look of bamboo but worried about it taking over your garden, Fargesia 'Gansu' is the answer. This graceful, evergreen bamboo forms a tidy, slowly expanding clump, so you get the lush, architectural feel of bamboo without invasive underground runners. Originally from the mountains of Gansu province in north-west China, it's naturally tough and well suited to our cool, damp climate.
Its standout feature is its striking canes, which darken to a rich purple, almost black, as they mature, contrasting beautifully with a fine, airy canopy of fresh green leaves. It's a plant that looks good in every season, rustles gently in the breeze and brings a sense of calm to any corner of the garden.
Key features
- Clump-forming and non-invasive: Grows outward only a few centimetres each year, so it stays where you plant it
- Evergreen: Keeps its leaves all year round for constant colour and screening
- Dark, glossy canes: Slender canes around 1–2cm across that deepen to purple-black with age
- Upright habit: Grows tall and fairly narrow, with the top foliage arching softly outward like a fountain
- Very hardy: Copes with cold British winters, including frost and snow, without protection
- Low maintenance: Needs little more than watering in dry spells and an occasional tidy-up
Size and growth
Once established, Fargesia 'Gansu' typically reaches around 2.5–3.5 metres in height, with a clump that slowly widens to roughly 1–1.5 metres over several years. Growth can be modest in its first year or two while the roots settle in, after which it picks up pace and sends up new canes each spring. Height can vary depending on soil, moisture and how sheltered the site is.
Where to plant it
This is a versatile bamboo that earns its place in all sorts of settings:
- Privacy screening and hedging: Plant in a row to create a soft, living screen that blocks overlooking windows or hides fences and bins
- Specimen planting: Grown on its own, its dark canes make a real focal point in a border or lawn
- Containers: Happy in a large pot on a patio, balcony or roof terrace, making it ideal for smaller gardens
- Japanese and contemporary schemes: Pairs wonderfully with gravel, stone, ferns, hostas and acers
- Near water: Looks especially attractive beside a pond or water feature
Growing conditions
Light: Fargesia 'Gansu' is happiest in partial shade or dappled light. It will tolerate a sunnier spot, but in hot, exposed positions the leaves may curl to conserve moisture. A position that's shaded from the fierce afternoon sun is ideal.
Soil: It prefers a moist but well-drained, reasonably fertile soil. It isn't fussy about soil type and will grow in most average garden soils, though it dislikes sitting in waterlogged ground.
Shelter: A spot out of the strongest, coldest winds will keep the foliage looking its best through winter.
Planting guide
- Dig a hole about twice the width of the root ball and to the same depth
- Loosen the soil at the base and mix in some well-rotted compost or organic matter
- Set the plant at the same level it was growing in its pot
- Backfill, firm in gently and water thoroughly
- Apply a mulch of bark or compost around the base to hold in moisture and suppress weeds
- For a screen or hedge, space plants roughly 80cm–1 metre apart
Caring for your bamboo
Watering: Keep the soil evenly moist, particularly during the first year and in dry summer spells. Bamboo in pots dries out more quickly and will need regular watering. Reduce watering in winter, but don't let the compost dry out completely.
Feeding: A general-purpose or high-nitrogen feed in spring encourages strong new canes and healthy green foliage.
Pruning: Pruning is optional. To keep the clump looking neat, cut out any dead, damaged or tired older canes at ground level in spring. This also lets more light show off the attractive dark canes. You can also trim the tops to control height if needed.
Leaf curl: If you notice the leaves rolling up, it's usually a sign the plant is thirsty or getting too much hot sun, so give it a good drink.
Growing in containers
Fargesia 'Gansu' makes an excellent patio plant. Choose a large, sturdy container with drainage holes and use a loam-based compost such as John Innes No. 3. Container plants will need more frequent watering and feeding than those in the ground, and may benefit from being potted on or divided every few years once the clump fills the pot.
Why choose Fargesia 'Gansu'?
For gardeners who want height, movement and year-round greenery without the worry of a spreading bamboo, Fargesia 'Gansu' is a reliable, attractive choice. Its dark canes, soft foliage and graceful shape bring an elegant, restful feel to the garden, while its hardiness and easy-going nature make it suitable for beginners and experienced gardeners alike.
Please Note: Our bamboo pictures are for illustrative purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the height / size of plants you will receive. Plant sizes depend on both the pot size and also the amount of growth of the plant during a particular growing season. In some cases, particularly for fast growing bamboos, this can result in a big difference in height within a single season, meaning any height information we show becomes quickly outdated. For this reason, we generally avoid specifying supplied heights for our bamboos. If you have any questions before making a purchase, please feel free to contact us on (01782) 502741.
Buying Bamboo & Grasses from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we sell the majority of our stock all year round. Our stock is for the most part grown outdoors making it far hardier than those grown under glass and/or only sold ‘In Season’. With Bamboo and Grasses the leaves can differ in quality dependent on the time of the year and whether they are in their growth phase. We protect less hardy species during the winter but other plants grown out doors may have some wind damage. This is in no way detrimental to the plant and will grow out naturally in spring.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email sales@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
Bamboo has become quite popular in recent years and is used as an alternative to more tradition hedging or screens. They can also make a striking focal point when grown in isolation. Most bamboo varieties are fully hardy and will tolerate most soil types, thriving in moist, well-drained soil and placed in a sheltered spot.
Bamboo should ideally be planted in spring to give it the best chance of producing strong, new canes in summer. While most bamboo is evergreen the plants will become dormant during autumn and winter.
Types of Bamboo
There are two main types of Bamboo, they are classed as either ‘running’ or ‘clump-forming’.
Running bamboo are often referred to as invasive bamboos because they produce large stems (rhizomes) which grow away from the plant in all directions and can spread rampantly if not contained.
Running Bamboos: Arundinaria, Bashania, Chimonobambusa, Clavinodum, Hibanobambusa, Indocalamus, Phyllostachys, Pleioblastus, Pseudosasa, Sasa, Sasaella, Sasamorpha, Semiarundinaria, Sinobambusa and Yushania.
Clump-forming bamboos in contrast have roots that form in tight clumps which mean they are far less invasive.
Clump-forming Bamboos: Bambusa, Chusquea, Dendrocalamus, Drepanostachyum, Fargesia, Himalayacalamus, Schizostachyum, Shibataea and Thamnocalamus.
Planting & Aftercare
While spring is the ideal time to plant bamboo, it is possible to plant potted stock throughout the year providing you avoid any ground frost. Before planting dig in some organic matter like manure or garden compost then dig the planting hole slightly larger than the plants roots and deep enough so the roots sit slightly lower to allow 2-3cm of soil to cover the top of them.
When back filling around the edges ensure that the new roots are not damaged. Water well following planting and add mulch to protect the roots.
Water your bamboo regularly especially during dryer periods. Each spring feed your bamboo with a nitrogen rich fertiliser and for the rest of the season a well balanced fertiliser is recommended until the end of summer.
While bamboos require little maintenance they can look unsightly if left to their own devices. You can prevent them from becoming a nuisance with little effort. Remove any weak, damaged or dead canes in spring by cutting them back to ground level and remove any debris at the base of the clumps at the same time. Once the plant is established you can remove some of the foliage from the bottom of the plant to show off the decorative canes of some varieties.
Possible Problems
In general bamboos are usually problem free however they may occasionally suffer from rust or root rot.
Bamboo shoots can pop up anywhere in your garden, neighbouring gardens and even through solid barriers such as drives, patios and conservatory floors. Normal weed suppressants will not stop bamboo from spreading. Although they do not tend to spread as much as running bamboo, clump-forming bamboo varieties can grow out of control.
In rare cases your Bamboo may flower and while it can look dramatic it isn’t good news for the plant. Most Bamboos will die after flowing and while this isn’t always the case the chance of recovery is very low. If you do spot the odd flowering shoot cut it out as soon as you see it to discourage more from forming. If the entire clump starts to flower the best course of action is to let it continue which feeding and watering, cut the clump back to ground level and feed with a nitrogen rich fertiliser to help encourage new growth.
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